Bafana and Madagascar friendly cancelled

After Zambia cancelled on Bafana Bafana, SAFA moved swiftly to arrange another friendly with Madagascar but that match too has been cancelled the football governing body announced on Thursday.

"SAFA regrets to inform the public that the match between Bafana Bafana and Madagascar scheduled for this coming Saturday (7 September) has been called off after the visitors (Madagascar) decided to withdraw from the encounter," the association said on Twitter

Breaking News: SAFA regrets to inform the public that the match between Bafana Bafana and Madagascar scheduled for this coming Saturday (7 September) has been called off after the visitors (Madagascar) decided to withdraw from the encounter. pic.twitter.com/HVD6nRLu4r

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) September 5, 2019

MADAGASCAR STATEMENT

The Malagasy Football Federation has been approached by the South African Football Federation (SAFA) to organize a friendly match between the national team of Madagascar and that of South Africa.

Honoured by the consideration and finding it a good opportunity to prepare the Malagasy team for its upcoming challenges, the FMF initially agreed in principle to organize the fixture.

However, after consulting several different national institutions, especially taking into account the security of the Madagascar delegation and Madagascan foreign nationals living in South Africa, it became mandatory to decline the invitation.

The Malagasy national team will continue its training camp in Madagascar and its players will rejoin their clubs after the international break.

Finally, the FMF apologizes to SAFA for the efforts it already undertook to organize the match, and also to the Malagasy football supporters who were impatiently waiting for the fixture.